Sunday, March 1, 2009

Are USA roads faster ?

I am travelling near by areas to Santa Clara and I heared people talking about the speed in the USA. I really got upset with Indian Citizens who proudly saluted speed over here and abuses Indian road.

I think these people have not visited India in recent years or they are biased to other country. Matter of the fact is India has officially faster capacity on road basis. In US maximum official speed is 70 MPH (~115 kmph) including all type of roads.

The developement of the Bangalore airport to city road limit is going to be 180 kmph and it will finish by 2010. This will be real achievement by India. Right now, Express Roads are having 110-120 kmph. All of these are official. Unoffcially people do drive 130-140 kmph on Express roads.

I do believe on Highway Police and catching of violation of the speed limit are liberal in India and its really very well implemented in US. These do increment Average speed but not the Fastest speed.

4 comments:

Yeah definately. India is catching up with US. But still US is always one step ahead of us. There is reason behind 70 mph speed limit. Technically if you drive your car faster than 70-80 mph, the car consumes two times(may be 4 times) more gas to travel same distance with speed of 50-60 mph. I don't remember the exact equation but u have to apply more power to the traverse through the winds coming in ur opposite direction. Scientists figured out this during 1950's oil crisis.

Otherwise US roads r better than express roads back in India. I myself has driven car at the speed of >100mph. The only reason is to save gas and may b safety first :)- .

Well, even as the data might be real at its place, there are so many reasons to say US roads are indeed faster(I would prefer to say that Indian roads are not fast). In India most of these so called high-speed roads limit the types of vehicle that can ply on it, for instance, two-wheelers are just not allowed. Hence that drastically brings down the traffic density on those roads compared to US or anywhere else. In Germany, there are 'autubahns', virtually without any speed limits and even a motorbike can be driven on it. Another aspect of indian slowness on road is that our road act (or whatever it is) limits the speed of vehicle itself. so even if you can take your maruti 800 on bangalore road, by law you are prohibited to go beyind may 85Ks. Now counting the number of smaller cars in India, the average(legal)traveling speed falls down even further. But India has finally woken up and they are really catching up in thinking for the future. Roads hold the key to any nation's development and with such high-speed roads, the future vehicles in India are going to have a good time(assuming that the roads low quality roads endure the high wear and tear due to accidents and oscillating whether peaks)

PS: Maybe the Bangalore airport expressway is only going to have a 'speed capacity at is best section' of 180, and not the vehicle's operating speed limit or even the complete highways speed. That might be way too low than this.

About me

Reliable and hard worker with proactive thinking. Used to solve things looking at more ways, many a times implements the wrong!! But thats how I make my journey ... Success in all fields* in my Goal... Teasing people by "Hathodas" is my passion.. and Sleep till late is my hobby...